Abu Dhabi to Host Interfaith Alliance For Safer Communities: Child Dignity in the Digital World Forum on 19 November

November 17, 2018

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the UAE will host the first edition of the Interfaith Alliance for Safer Communities Forum on November 19-20 in recognition of the country’s leading role in promoting tolerance and interfaith dialogue.

The forum will host 450 guests including religious leaders, NGOs and heads of industry"...

ERBIL — The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to meet on Monday for discussions on a range of issues, including the irregular customs offices recently set up between the Kurdistan Region and other disputed territories under the control of Baghdad.

Deputy parliament speaker Bashir Haddad confirmed to BasNews that they are working to remove the offices which charge people transporting goods between the KRG and other provinces.

New government has different ideas about budget from predecessor: minister

November 13, 2018

SULAIMANI — Iraqi Finance Minister Faud Hussein announced on Monday (November 12) that the new government has different views about the shape of the 2019 draft federal budget from its predecessor, which wrote and submitted the legislation before it left office.

“We are facing a deadline and are experiencing problems regarding how to cope with the draft budget legislation,” Hussein said in a statement.

AMMAN — Jordan on Sunday expressed interest in enhancing economic cooperation with Iraq through trade and investments in both countries.

During a meeting in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Tareq Hammouri said that Jordan was keen to participate in the Baghdad International Fair, out of the Kingdom’s interest in developing economic cooperation.

Customs checkpoints between Iraq and Kurdistan Region to be scrapped: official

November 12, 2018

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Customs checkpoints established on major roads between Iraqi and Kurdistan Region cities after the events of October 2017 are to be removed following an agreement between Erbil and Baghdad, officials announced Sunday.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) General Directorate of Customs and the Iraqi Customs Board reached a 27 point agreement in a meeting last week in Erbil, but only revealed the deal on Sunday, Samal Abdulrahman, head of KRG customs department, told Rudaw....

ERBIL - The top Iraqi officials have intensified their efforts to pass the 2019 budget bill and conclude the formation of the new cabinet as soon as possible as eight ministerial posts are yet to be filled.

President Barham Salih, PM Adil Abdul-Mahdi, and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi met on Saturday to discuss the latest political developments in regards to the new government establishment as well as the controversial budget bill.

His Excellency Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has received Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman bin Jassem al-Thani Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar and his accompanying delegation.

The delegation included a group of ministers and advisers. During the meeting, they have discussed boosting bilateral cooperation in various sectors, especially in the economic sector, in addition to the situation in the region.

The Government of Sharjah won the “Sovereign Debt Finance Deal of the Year” award at the Bonds, Loans & Sukuk Awards Middle East for the successful issuance of an RMB 2 billion, or US$ 316 million, Panda Bond. The award was presented by the leading international media organisation GFC Media Group.

The award recognises that the issuance, completed in February 2018, represented the culmination of a lengthy and unfamiliar, and ultimately"...